Fire-escape.



No. 636,264. I Patented Nov. 7, I899. F. W. KLINCK.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed June 1, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I,

\ g l I. 1 221 A 1 H H a H l I; 1 i /m fig 7 \A/ITNEEEEE IN N R Wm W WM m5 mfl flnzz DRRIS PETERS co. woro-Lrrua. wxsnmcmn. n. c.

No. 636,264. Patented Nov. 7, I899.

F. W. KLINCK.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed. June 1, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

WT Jr-15555 O Mam W% No. 636,264. r Patented Nov. 7, I899.

F. w. KLINCK.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed JLm 1, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

FREDERICK W. KLINGK, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

$IPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,264, dated. November '7, 1899. Application filed Junel, 1899. Serial No. 718,974. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. KLINCK, of the city and county of Albany, State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in'Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to fire-escapes, and more particularly to certain improvements thereon whereby an endless ladder is formed by rungs inserted between two endless sprocket-chains, with the latter producing the sides of the ladder, arranged to depend from and each arranged to run with and upon one of two sprocket-wheels keyed onto the same shaft, with the latter having a pinion keyed thereon which by means of an intermediately-located gear-wheel is caused to mesh into a pinion mounted upon a shaft having keyed thereon an escapement-wheel controlled by a pawl and detent arranged upon a rock-shaft that is provided with a weighted arm, whereby when tension is produced upon that one of the depending stretches of the endless ladder not held by the detent such depending ladder stretch will be operated to descend, with alternating periods of movement and rest, and the other stretch of the ladder operated to rise.-

My invention also relates to a trolley connection with a track attachedto the front of the house or building to which my improved fire-escape is to be attached, whereby the mechanism operating the ladder may be moved along the front of the house to which it is applied, so as to operate from different points thereon.

Accompanying this specification to form a part of it there are three plates of drawings containing six figures illustrating theapplication of my invention, with the same designation of parts by letter reference used in all of them.

Of the illustrations, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the ladder and the frame inclosing the mechanism by which the ladder is operated and shown as connected to a trolleytrack arranged on the front of the building. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown at Fig. 1, but with the track for the trolley connection shown in cross-section. Fig. 3 is a top view of the mechanism by which the ladder is operated, with the ladder omitted and the frame in which the operating mechanism is contained shown in transverse section. Fig. 4.- is a section taken on the line 00 00 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line w 00 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged front view of the apparatus, showing also parts of the ladder sides.

The several parts of the apparatus thus illustrated are designated by letter reference, and the functions of the parts are described as follows:

The letter F designates the frame producing the inclosure H, having the rounded top M, in which inclosure the ladder-operating parts are mounted. The letters B designate brackets which are outwardly projected from the building A, to which my improved fireescape is shown as applied. The letter T designates a track connected to the under side of the brackets B and depending therefrom. The letters W W designate wheels each having the flange f and a tread with each pair of said wheels mounted to journal in an arm c of which there are two upwardly projected from the top M of the frame F, and each pair of said wheels W is adapted to make a trolley engagement with the track part i of the track T, as shown at Fig. 4. As thus constructed the mechanism in the mounted frame part F can be moved along the front of the building to be operated from any desirable point.

The letter S designates a shaft having mounted thereon the sprocket-wheels S S, which are preferably made integrally with the sleeve I at each end of the latter, with the sleeve mounted uponand secured to the shaft S, with the latter having journals at J, in the front and rear wall of the frame F, in which to turn. The perimeter of each of these sprocket-wheels S as indicated at p, is shown to be grooved at g and where thus grooved to be recessed at regular intervals to produce the sprocket-sinks m which receive the links of the chain 0, forming the ladder sidesG G, to actuate them.

The letter P designates a pinion that is mounted upon the shaft S at one of its ends, outside of the sleeve I, so to be moved with and by said shaft when the sprocket-wheels mounted thereon are being actuated by the ladder K.

The letter D designates a shaft that is pro-.

rear walls of the frame F, in which to journal, and the letter D designates a gear-wheel mounted upon said shaft D and arranged to mesh into the pinion P upon the shaft S and to be turned with the shaft D. The letter L designates another shaft, which is provided with bearings at Z in the front and rear of the frame F, in which to journal, and the letter 1? designates a pinion which is mounted upon said shaft L, so as to turn with it and to mesh into the gear-wheel D upon the shaft D. The letter E designates an escapementwheel which is also mounted upon the shaft L, so as to be turned by it.

The letter R designates a rock-shaft having journals at T in the front and rear of the frame F, in which to be reciprocatingly rotated. The letter U designates a pawl which is rigidly attached to said rock-shaft, and d a detent which is also rigidly attached to said rock-shaft R. The letter O designates a crank-arm which is outwardlyprojected from said rock-shaft and at its outer end is pro- Vided with the weights \V The letter 7L2 designates a stop against which the arm 0 rests in its descentafterhaving been raised by the engagement of one of the teeth of the escapement-wheel with the pawl U.

The letters N designate the rungs of the ladder, which at their ends connect with the chain 0, forming the ladder sides G G.

The operation of the apparatus thus described is as follows: The ladder-chain having been housed in an upper room of the house, when a fire occurs in the latter and it becomes necessary to use the apparatus the ladder, with its sides G G each over one of the sprocket-wheels S is allowed to descend, so as to be in the position shown at Figs. 1 and 2. While thus placed,one of the depending stretches of the ladder and that designated at V will be rigidly held upon the sprocket-wheels by the connection that the detent (1 makes with the escapement-wheel E and the geared connection which the shaft of the latter makes with the sprocket-wheel shaft S. As thus rigidly held, the stretch V may be used as a ladder for the ascent of a fireman or others who desire to aid in the descent of occupants. When persons are placed upon the rungs of that stretch of the ladder designated at V they will cause that stretch of the ladder to slowly descend until they reach the ground automatically and without stepping from rung to rung and the other stretch V of the ladder caused to rise. Thus children or infirm persons may be strapped to the rungs of the descending ladder stretch and safely deposited upon the ground.

In my improved fire-escape the endless ladder K depends from the sprocket-wheels, by which its movements are regulated, and without any other support or connection in the way of another sprocket-wheel having bearin gs in a frame at the lower end of the ladder, and in this respect it differs from older devices in which a sprocket-wheel is employed at the upper as well as the lower stretches of the ladder, with that one of the sprocketwheels which is at the lower end of the ladder journaled in a frame. Another difierence is manifested,when a ladder constructed and arranged to be operated according to my invention is compared with older constructions for the same purpose, in the fact that my endless ladder is not encumbered with cages or seats and can be operated continuously without having its descending loaded stretch raised before it can repeat the descent.

There are other important uses to which my invention may be applied in case of fire in the building upon which the apparatus is placed. Thus hose may be connected to the depending stretch V, and by pulling upon the other stretch the hose and men to handle it may be raised to any window of the building where it is desired to use the hose. Being movable on the track T, the apparatus may be moved along the building front, so as to escape the action of fire and flame coming from some of the windows, thus giving it a great advantage over stationary fire-escapes. The ladder chains and rungs are made of metal, and the mechanism operating the latter is so housed in as to be protected from the action of the weather.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fire-escape, an endless-chain ladder and sprocket-wheels whereby it is suspended in combination with an escapement and intermediate gearing, a depending trolley-track and a casing in which the said sprocketwheels, escapement and gearing are journaledand which ineloses them except on the under side, the said casing being provided with rigid upward arms bearing rotary trolleys which are adapted to run on the said track, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the endless ladder K, having the sprocket-chain sides'G, G, and intermediately-placed rungs N, of the shaft S, having the sprocket-wheels S S and the pinion P, mounted thereon; the shaft D, hav-' ing the gear-wheel D mounted thereon and arranged to mesh into the pinion P; the shaft L, having mounted thereon the escapementwheel E, and pinion P and the rock-shaft R, provided with the pawl U, and the detent d, and the weighted arm 0, constructed and arranged to be operated substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed at the city of Troy, New York, this 21st day of April, 1899, and in the presence of the two witnesses whose names are hereto written.

FREDERICK W. KLINOK.

\Vitnesses:

W. E. HAGAN, JAMES H. DAVIS. 

